bureaucracy
A system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives.
While often used pejoratively to mean 'red tape' or inefficiency, in sociology it refers to a rational, rule-bound system of organization.
Word relationships
- administration: A more neutral term for the management of an organization.
- red tape: An idiom specifically for the excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules.
- anarchy: A state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority.
- adhocracy: A flexible, adaptable, and informal form of organization.
Commonly confused with
- democracy: Democracy is rule by the people; bureaucracy is rule by unelected officials.
Word family
- bureaucrat (noun): an official in a bureaucracy
- bureaucratic (adjective): relating to a bureaucracy
Collocations
- government bureaucracy
- stifling bureaucracy
- corporate bureaucracy
- bureaucracy and red tape
Example sentences
- "The bureaucracy is the means of transforming social action into rationally organized action." Sociological analysis of modern power.
- "The project was delayed for months due to the stifling bureaucracy of the local government." Everyday frustration with systems.
Memory hook
Think of a 'Bureau' (a chest of drawers or a desk) where 'Cracy' (rule) happens. Rule by the desk. Rule by the desk.
When not to use
Avoid using it only as an insult; in a professional context, it can describe a necessary structure for managing large organizations.
Fun facts
- Max Weber called bureaucracy the 'iron cage' of modern life.
- The word 'bureau' originally referred to the coarse wool cloth used to cover writing tables.
Related words
Explore more words
hierarchy, arbitrary, authoritarian, reprimand, sprawl, governance
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